Peer Review
by elisa-didlittle
Summary: Harry returns to clean up Hogwarts. Based on Clell's story "Board".


A/N: I wasn't happy with Clell's story "Board". This is my version.

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In the Headmaster's office at the top of one of Hogwart's lesser known towers, Minerva McGonagall sat behind an ancient desk. The knicknacks of Albus' rather elongated lifespan had been cleared out. No spindly tables or overstuffed chairs. No Regency settees. No perch for overgrown swans. Not a Victorian doily in sight. Just a desk, a cabinet, a few sensible high backed chairs and a selection of the better single-malt whiskies that made Scotland so rightly famous.

Four years. Four years of being Headmistress for the greatest magical school in the world. Four years trying to live up to the great Albus Dumbledore's legacy. Four years of dealing with the obstructionist Hogwarts Board that Lucius had saddled her with. And four years of silent non-communication from Harry Potter and his group of hanger's on.

Minerva was a little miffed by that. She had expected a little help thrown her way from her war-time associates: Kingsley, Augusta, Horace, Arthur. But no, they were all busy, rebuilding the Ministry and the Wizengamot, they said. As if running the thousand year old castle was a bloody walk in the park. How hard could fixing the Ministry be? It's not like they did anything, anyway. Just arrest a few bureaucrats, hold a few trials, business as usual for the Ministry. Now Hogwarts... well that was hard.

All those repairs. And reassuring the Purebloods that the school was safe again and no longer the battlefield it was just a few years prior. Bloody nightmare trying to fill up those seats in the classroom.

The headmistress glanced up at the grandfather clock. Half hour until this year's Board meeting. Ruddy nuisance. Just another opportunity for Malfoy and his Deatheater's to rub it in how they escaped Azkaban, _again_. Back at the top of great society and sticking their collective noses in how she ran her school.

No thanks to Harry Potter. Sure, he killed You-Know-Who, but then he up and runs off with not even a by-you-leave. He and all his friends. Did they stick around and help her fix the castle? Deal with the Ministry? Help with the P.R. about the new and restored Hogwarts? Not at all - just ran away. One minute they're here and the next: poof. Gone.

Potter never was worth the effort they spent on him. Lazy, puffed-up brat. Never ready to do any of the real work necessary to run a school.

Twenty minutes to go. Best get a move on. 'Soonest begin is soonest done'. The meeting was being held in the Committee Room, off to the side of the Great Hall. The same room those Ministry officials gathered after the drawing for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Where Potter made that big to-do about not entering the Tournament. Honestly, as if that made any difference. Albus knew best.

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Five minutes to go. The Board sat around the overly large meeting table in their overly overstuffed chairs. Pampered English ponces, the lot of them. Malfoy had that smirk on his face; Minerva just _knew _she was going to have to jump through hoops just to get the same inadequate funding to pay for the upkeep on Albus' tomb. Such a lovely white marble building - Neoclassical with Ionic columns.

Minerva sat at the center of the long table, with Filius and Pomona on either side and the other staff arrayed about them. Opposite her, Lucius sat at the center of the table, surrounded by Edgecombe, Thorfinn, Thicknesse, Rosier, Marian, Crabtree and Augusta. Well, at least Augusta was a friend. But the rest were fools or in Lucius' pocket.

At 9:59, the large door to the Committe Room opened and four people entered. Four former students that had disappeared into the aether with the Potter brat.

"Headmistress, I wasn't informed that you hired additional staff," Lucius drawled.

"They're not on my staff," Minerva huffed. "You four! What are you doing here? You had better have a good reason for interrupting this Meeting or there will be consequences. Severe consequences."

"And a good morning to you too, Headmistress," said one of the new-comers, Daphne Greengrass. "We are here for the Meeting. We are claiming out seats on the Board."

"Preposterous. Lies. I'll not have it in my school. Out with you, Miss Greengrass, or I'll have you thrown out! You, Bones, Patil, out! And you Mr. Longbottom, I had expected better from you than this impudent grandstanding."

Just then, the large door opened again and Harry Potter walked in. A much taller, much broader Harry Potter with no scar or glasses. A Harry Potter dressed every bit as pretentiously Pureblood as Lucius, but with some silly insignia pins and a staff of all things. Talk of English pretentiousness, prancing about like some latter day Merlin with a sodding staff.

"My apologies for my tardiness. Some of the ghosts wanted to greet me, and well... you know. Please continue," Harry interrupted

"Continue! Mr. Potter, what are you doing here? How dare you show your face around this castle after the disappearing act you played on the Wizarding World. Four years and not a word. Out with you! Out," Minerva shrieked.

Harry ignored her and looked around the room. Seven Deatheaters, Neville's Grandmother, McG, Flitwick, Sprout, Babbling, Vector, Filch and five people he didn't know.

"Minerva, please calm down and quiet yourself. I am claiming my seat on the Board," Harry said. He then continued in a louder voice, "By right of conquest over Thomas Riddle, I Hadrian James, Lord Potter claim the properties, titles, privileges and perogatives of the Clan Slytherin. So Mote it Be. Clan Slytherin claims it's seat on the Hogwarts Board." Harry then looked around and said, "Ok, that's one down. Daphne, you want to go next?"

Daphne gave an affronted sigh. "Regal, Potter, real Regal. Mr. Thicknesse, Clan Greengrass claims the seat you hold in Proxy. Please vacate your seat, sir."

Thicknesse stood up and glared at the young woman. "I will not. I paid good gold for this seat and I'll certainly not give it up to a Blood Traitor like yourself, Greengrass."

Daphne gave another affronted sigh. "Harry?"

Potter looked over at Daphne. "Of course, Dear." He then tapped his staff against the floor and Thicknesse started screaming as he faded into nothingness. "All done, Daphne. Please take your seat. Susan?"

Harry tapped his staff again and created a silencing ward to cover the room, excepting himself and his friends, which was just as well since the rest of the room's occupants were now screaming and spitting in indignation.

Susan Bones looked at the Board members. "Ms. Edgecombe, Clan Bones claims the seat you hold in Proxy. Please vacate your seat, Madam."

Edgecombe it seems couldn't get out of her seat fast enough. She had no desire for Potter to atomize, or whatever he did, to her. She ran for the door and fled the castle.

"Thank you, Madam," she spoke to the absent former Board member. "Harry, she didn't...?"

Potter looked her way. "No. It's taken care of. Padma?"

One of the Patils, Padma she supposed, looked at the Board. "Mr. Thorfinn, the last time I saw you you were Crucio-ing me. I wouldn't recommend doing that again. Clan Patil, as the sole living descendants of the last Lady Easton, claims the Easton seat you hold in Proxy. Please vacate your seat, Sir."

"I will not, you little wog. Should've killed you when I had the chance. Well, no matter. You'll not be bothering the likes of us for long," as he pulled his dark wand and faced Harry. "Ava-".

Harry tapped his staff and Thorfinn was blasted into the far wall, blood pouring from every inch of his body, his screams endless until Harry silenced him. "Idiot. What did he think I was going to do? Looks like you're last Neville. Be nice, we're having dinner later."

Neville looked at his Grandmother. "Gran, I'm 22. I think I can help with some of the annoying administrative tasks for the family. Besides, this has to be cutting into your bridge time. How about I take over the seat now, OK?"

Augusta looked at her grandson and chuckled. "About time, Neville. You do look a fine Lord. Every bit as grand as your father. Will I see you for dinner?"

"Of course, Gran. I wouldn't miss it. Would it be alright to bring a few guests? Say, eight guests?"

"Of course, Neville. I'll see you then," said Augusta as she passed through the large door and left the room.

Harry clapped his hands together and smiled. "Well that was exciting. Lucius, I can't replace you so I guess you'll live. Ms Rosier, Ms Marian, Mr Crabtree, we haven't met, I'm Harry Potter."

"The murderer!" screamed Ms Rosier.

"The Victor. Please, I'm Lord Slytherin, whatever did you expect? Unlike Mr Riddle, I can be a very nice gent. But I would not recommend raising your wand against me."

"And if I did, you puffed up ponce?"

"Then you would die horribly, like Thorfinn over there," Potter gestured to the wall covered in blood and Thorfinn parts. Another gesture and all the older people seated could now smell the blood and guts of the late Mr Thorfinn. "Best not to, all around," Harry said turning to face all the of the people present, Board and staff. When the gagging started, Harry gestured again and the smell disappeared.

Harry locked eyes with Malfoy. Using an advanced legilimancy technique, he spoke directly into Malfoy's mind. _/Lucius, I am not your enemy here. You wished to cleanse this place of the taint of Dumbledore. And so do I./_

_/I don't understand. You were his Champion. You're acting like a Dark Wizard./_ Lucius spoke.

_/I was Dumbledore's brainwashed pawn, just like these fools. He made my life a misery of slavery, beatings and starvation. I look forward to destroying his legacy. Wait and see. Oh, and you should know by now, there is no good or evil./_

Lucius looked shocked. "Only power," he whispered. Lucius look at the group of five. They weren't blood purists, but they weren't insane. They were young, powerful, determined and ruthless. They were what the Deatheaters could have been had they only had a better leader. They were a future he could look forward to.


End file.
